


Requiem

by Jeyfeather1234



Series: Instar Emergence [1]
Category: GODZILLA Trilogy (Anime 2017)
Genre: Alien Character(s), Alien Mythology/Religion, Alien Rituals, Alien/Human Relationships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Awakened Beings, Character Death, Drug Use, Eldritch Abomination, Everyone Has Issues, Exif are little shits, Eye Gouging, Imprisonment, Literary References & Allusions, Name Changes, Priests, Psychological Torture, Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Self-Harm, Symbolism, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-02 06:05:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16299533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeyfeather1234/pseuds/Jeyfeather1234
Summary: There's only one rule to follow on the Aratrum: comply or die.While scavenging the universe for a hospital planet, the Aratrum gets attacked by a large group of hostile aliens known as Vyxtra. Forced to give up control of the spacecraft, the crew are now prisoners aboard their own ship and must find a way to defeat their captors. But the Vyxtra aren't letting them go that easily, especially with their targets under their command.As the death count rises and the Vyxtra's psychological torture begin to have an effect on the crew, Haruo struggles with believing their claim that the Exif only seek the emigrants' demise while Metphies tries to retain his sanity in his sensory deprived cell.





	1. PART ONE

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU where the crew didn't go back to Earth. Instead, they get attacked by Vyxtra(my own alien race) and struggle with submitting to their draconian rules.

_"Turning and turning in the widening gyre_

_The falcon cannot hear the falconer;_

_Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;_

_Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,_

_The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere_

_The ceremony of innocence is drowned;_

_The best lack all conviction, while the worst_

_Are full of passionate intensity._

 

_Surely some revelation is at hand;_

_Surely the Second Coming is at hand._

_The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out_

_When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi_

_Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert_

_A shape with lion body and the head of a man,_

_A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,_

_Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it_

_Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds._

_The darkness drops again; but now I know_

_That twenty centuries of stony sleep_

_Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,_

_And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,_

_Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"_

~ "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats


	2. Prologue

A cold wind whipped through the air, carrying the scent of Earthling mixed with the smell of Bilusaludos and Exif. A tall, reptilian creature, known as a Vyxtra, made a low rumbling noise in his throat at the thought of the elfen race who'd been hopping from one galaxy to another in an attempt to evade his people. He twitched his tail and stepped into the creek before him. They'd outsmarted and outran him again. He knew that despite "humbling" themselves before their god, they still maintained their sly, devious nature from so long ago. An Exif who had been resurrected by the Valashta after Exifcalus' destruction stood beside him, gazing up at Earth's night sky. "Did you find him yet?" he asked, not glancing at the alien as he spoke.  
  
"I've recieved word that your people are on the Aratrum with the Earthlings and Bilusaludos."  
  
"And Metphies?"  
  
"He is still active." The Exif nodded in satisfaction and adjusted his cloak over his robe. "As long as he still breathes, we will have no problem with the ritual."  
  
"Yes, but you are forgetting about the other two species, Reagarys. They will be a problem."  
  
"Only slightly. Our _pnömoria_ is strong, theirs is not. They cannot stand a chance if they have no leader for they will be lost and helpless like sheep without a _tsyva'ar_ ," Reagarys said with certainty. "You have nothing to worry about, Shakurin. If they will not comply, we will coerce them into accepting their destiny once and for all. They will not escape this time." Shakurin was silent and lowered his gaze with a sigh.  
  
"All shall be according to the will of God." Reagarys glanced down at his metal wristband that beeped a few times. A message in Leich appeared on the small screen: _"Ty'v Zhech Vys"_. He smiled.  
  
"Prepare yourself then. We'll be visiting the Aratrum in a bit."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ty'v zhech Vys means "Target nearby" in Leich


	3. Better Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruo gets an ominous message from a stranger and reflects on things before being briefly interrupted.

Haruo Sakaki stared out the window of his room and wondered how long it'd be until they finally found a good planet to inhabit. It'd been seventeen thousand years and yet everywhere they went, death and despair seemed to follow them like a plague. Every planet they found was desolate and inhospitable. Illness, starvation, and suicide lingered in the Aratrum like a non washable stain on a piece of expensive clothing. It was as if the universe hated them and decided to make them suffer. He clenched his fists at the thought of the cause of all this. Godzilla. If it weren't for that bastard, they wouldn't be helplessly wandering the universe like lost sheep. If it weren't for him, they'd still be on Earth living their peaceful lives on their little blue and green planet in their solar system. Haruo's parents would still be alive and things would at least be a bit more tolerable. Now he had none of the two. He was far from home which was probably a hell lot different now than it had been when they'd left aboard the Aratrum.  
  
The only parental figure he had who was still alive was Metphies, the Exif archbishop, though he was leaning more towards a mother figure than fatherly the more Haruo thought about it. He was his close friend and was kind of like another "mom" who always knew what to say. He was the person he could lean on and wasn't judgemental about anything he said though he would correct him if he ever did something wrong but never scolded him the way some mothers do. He was patient, understanding, and the best thing the universe had given him. The bedroom door opened and the Exif priest stood beside him with a soft smile. "Good morning, Haruo," he greeted, sitting at the foot of his bed.  
  
"Morning." Haruo glanced down at an object neatly folded in a blue cloth that rested in the blonde's lap. "What's that?"  
  
"It's the Vopal Orb." Metphies unwrapped the cloth to reveal an obsidian orb with light blue markings that reflected the light off its glittery surface. "This was the only thing I managed to bring with me from my planet."  
  
"It's beautiful. What are you going to do with it?"  
  
"I have to give it to Endurph for safekeeping since it's a very sacred item for us Exif."  
  
"Is that what keeps you from aging so quickly like we do?" Haruo teased, earning a soft chuckle in response.  
  
"No, it's...complicated to explain. It holds power that only us Exif understand and that's only a small portion of it."  
  
"How come you have something so powerful yet not know its full potential? Shouldn't you want to experiment with it and learn about its capabilities?"  
  
"Knowledge has great power, Haruo. There is a reason why our knowledge of the Vopal Orb is limited." He leaned back against the pillows and continued staring out the window.  
  
"Earlier this morning, the Aratrum recieved a distress signal from another ship called the Mereen. Unfortunately, we haven't gotten word from the Mereen since."  
  
"What is the Committee deciding to do?"  
  
"They're planning on sending a scouting party to investigate the ship. Though it's a good idea, I--" Metphies stopped and glanced down at the Orb that began to glow dimly for a moment before it returned to its normal state. There was an emotion on his face that was difficult to decipher. Was it alarm? Nervousness? Unease? It was hard to tell. Exifs were really good at hiding their emotions so you wouldn't know what they were thinking.  
  
"Is it supposed to do that?"  
  
"I'll be back in a moment," he murmured as he got off the bed and headed towards the door.  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"No, I just need a quick word with my superior." Before Haruo could ask any more questions, he was already out the door with the stone glowing dimly in his hands again. Haruo wanted to run after him and see what had unsettled the priest, but figured that it probably wasn't his business so he leaned back against the pillows once more and wondered about what had happened to the Mereen. Perhaps it'd been hit by an asteroid or was attacked by hostile aliens though they'd encountered none on their quest so far.

An idea suddenly piqued his interest. Metphies never really minded when he stayed in his room while he was off doing Exif business so long as he didn't break anything. Though it'd been a while since he'd been to his room, he managed to recall some parts of the route as he put on a sweater and made his way to his destination. After a while he paused, uncertain of where to go next. Was he supposed to go left or right? Was this even the right place? "You seem lost," a voice said from behind him. He jumped a little in surprise and turned to see an Exif staring down at with blank milk-white eyes that seemed to stare into his soul. He was taller than Metphies and had dull platinum blonde hair that was tied back into a ponytail. "Are you lost?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for Metphies' room. Do you know where it is?" The Exif was silent for a moment, making Haruo uncomfortable as he tried not to look away from those blank, dull eyes.  
  
"Go left," he nodded to the left hall, "then take right. It's Room 1047." Haruo murmured his thanks and began to walk in the direction he was told before the Exif quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him closer.  
  
"Ow!" he cried as sharp nails dug into his skin and Exif leaned in closer til he was merely inches from him. "What the--? Let me go!"  
  
"The shadows know all and the white ravens carry songs of death on their beaks."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Time is running out and they'll be here soon. Then...then there'll be no escape from the wings of death. They'll take away what makes you human and put something else inside, something...inhuman. And they--"  
  
"Waif!" a sharp voice snapped, interrupting the Exif who was getting a little closer now. "Get away from him this instant." A woman stood in front of them, frowning at the Exif known as Waif. Waif leaned back a little but kept his grip on Haruo's sleeve. "Let him go." He loosened his grip. "Waif." He held her hard stare. The woman turned to Haruo apologetically. "Sorry about the predicament you're in. The Waif is crazy and doesn't know what he's talking about. My name's Yggrit by the way." Yggrit pried the Waif's hand from his arm and nudged the lunatic away from the captain while muttering to him in an unknown language. The Waif glanced back at him with dull eyes full of pity and grief, making him even more uncomfortable.  
  
Haruo quickly turned away and briskly headed to Metphies' room. _He's just crazy,_ he thought to himself. _He's not in his right mind._ But those eyes that seemed to burn into the very core of his soul seemed to know more than just delusions and crazy talk. They held a story, a painful one, that had been covered in layers upon layers of dust and prejudice for God knows how long. Haruo turned a corner, hoping that the Waif's instructions were right. He saw people muttering to each other about the latest news and bits of gossip going around the Aratrum as he passed. He turned on his right, located Room 1047, and opened the door.  
  
The room was dark and smelled strange, but the good kind of strange that reminded him of a time that never happened. He took a deep breath, noticing the slight smell of mint and something he couldn't put his finger on. A few small candles were lit on the table towards the wall, in a corner, and on the nightstand. He wondered why Metphies even bothered to light candles when his lights were working perfectly fine. Was this an Exif thing or did he just do it because he wanted to? _God, aliens are weird._ Haruo hopped onto the foot of the bed which was a little too high for him and laid his back against the soft blanket. He closed his eyes, savoring the odd scent in the room and remembering his conversation with Metphies when he was younger and wanted to return to Earth.

* * *

_"I miss Mom and Dad," a little Haruo mumbled as he leaned back against Metphies who'd allowed him to sit on his lap one day as they stared at the endless stars. Metphies gently stroked his cheek with a thumb._  
  
_"I know," he responded softly. "But all things have to end at some point."_

 _Haruo looked up at him sadly. "I don't want to be here anymore. I want to go home. Can't we go home and kill it?" he asked, referring to Godzilla._  
  
_"No, not yet. You must wait a little longer until we find another planet to live on."_  
  
_"But I don't want to live on another planet! I want to go back to Earth." He twisted to face him with pleading eyes. "You can convince them to go back right?" Metphies didn't meet his gaze. He was focused on outside. "Please!"_  
  
_"No. When you're older perhaps. But not now." He looked down at him pitifully. "I know how you feel, Haruo. I want to go home too but I can't. Not anymore."_  
  
_"Why not?" He pressed him closer to him and rested his chin on his head._  
  
_"Everything will make sense in time. It's all part of God's plan." Haruo wrapped his small arms around him, wondering if there really was a god out there watching over them._  
  
_"What's your god like? Is he nice?"_  
  
_"He is fair." That was all he said. Whenever Haruo tried to get him into telling him more about his god, he just stayed quiet and stared at the floor. Eventually, the little boy stopped trying and fell asleep in his arms._

* * *

  
The door opening jolted Haruo back to reality and he sat up with a grunt. Endurph glanced at him with slightly furrowed brows. _Shit _. "What are you doing here?" he asked.__  
  
"I was just...thinking that's all," Haruo said, figuring it was best to tell the truth(or at least part of it anyway).  
  
"Does Metphies know that you're in his room?"  
  
"He said I come whenever I felt like it so he doesn't mind." The Exif general stepped aside and nudged the door open a little wider with his heel.  
  
"You should've told him."  
  
"He was in a rush to see you! How could I have had the chance to--" Haruo stopped and corrected himself as he given a look of disapproval. "Sorry. It's just that he was in a hurry and it didn't come to mind until after he'd left. I'll make sure to tell him next time, sir."  
  
"I accept your apology," Endurph responded as he opened a drawer in the table by the wall. He took out a book that looked a little burned in some spots and quickly skimmed through it before turning. "Metphies will be back in a moment. He needed to do a quick errand." With that, he left. Haruo released a sigh and laid back onto the bed. Though he'd never really interacted with him, he knew better than to get him angry. Metphies had warned him to never do so.  
  
"Don't provoke him," he'd said. "He knows how to effectively put people in their place so don't talk to him the way you talk to Mori and Leland. He's a hundred and five years old, he won't put up with your recklessness if he's not in the mood."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: In this universe, white eyed Exifs are extremely rare and often seen as a bad omen.


	4. Aboard the Mereen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuko and the scouting party investigate the Mereen and soon find themselves in the hands of a deadly rogue Exif and his army.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mereen is pronounced "Mer•ain" by the way.

Yuko felt butterflies in her stomach as the landing ships drew near the adrift spacecraft. The Mereen, which was twice the size of the Aratrum, had a visible hole in one of its side and debris from the attack floated around it. She grimaced at the sight of dismembered body parts, blood, and organs floating around and looked away. She had a really bad feeling about this place. "When we get inside, stay close to each other," Leland ordered. "I don't want anyone running off and getting hurt." Yuko nodded and readied herself for whatever awaited them. When the ship landed, the party carefully made their way through the dark main hall. Broken glass, rotting bodies, and broken weapons were scattered across the floor. Deep claw marks were on the walls and some of the corpses. It made her shudder.  
  
"Guys," someone called. "You'd better come see this." Yuko trotted up to where a soldier was standing in front of a wall with alien writing in blood. "Anyone of you guys know how to read this?"  
  
"This is in Leich," an Exif with silver hair said, stepping forward. Her brows furrowed slightly. "It's the language we Exif speak."  
  
"What does it say?" Leland asked. There was silence for a moment.  
  
" _'Cast your eyes down and worship the Void and all that is in it. For when the end comes, there shall be no more salvation left and all will see the face of God.'_ "  
  
"I should've know it'd have something to do with your god."  
  
"Don't be so quick to judge what you can't see. Arrogance does not make you wise."  
  
"What's your name again?" Yuko asked. She was certain she'd spoken to her once.  
  
"Ceries. I've seen a lot of horrid things in my lifetime but this," Ceries trailed her fingers crossed the scarred wall, gazing at more Leich writing on the wall, "this is something I haven't seen since..." She trailed off. "Hold on." She studied the claw marks on the wall and crouched next to a nearby body. Her brown eyes darkened.  
  
"What is it?" She didn't respond. She was deep in thought as she stared at the wounds. Ceries began to dig around the corpse's intestines and pulled out a small blade that been wedged deep inside. Blood and an unknown substance similar to goo covered her hand and the weapon. "Ew! What is that on your hand?!"  
  
"That's not important. This," Ceries held up the blade, "is the real question. This used to belong to our most skilled hunter and he died when Exifcalus was destroyed."  
  
"Maybe someone found it and--"  
  
"It has his scent and it's fresh." There was silence for a moment. _"I watched him die."_  
  
"The Valashta?" Another Exif asked quietly. "It's the only way he..."  
  
"Then that would mean he's with the House."  
  
"What house?" Leland asked, furrowing his brows. "What's the Valashta?" Ceries shook her head and wiped the blood and goo off her hand and the knife.  
  
"The Valashta is an ancient being, perhaps as ancient as God himself, that has the ability to resurrect the dead and recruits them to be assassins in the House of the Setting Sun which is in another plane of existence. It's too complicated to get into."  
  
"So you think your best hunter did all this?"  
  
"With some help, yes. But we should check the cameras to make sure."  
  
"Hopefully they work," Yuko heard someone behind her murmur.  
  
"Let's keep moving," Leland ordered and led the way. Yuko kept her eyes out for anything that was still alive on the ship as they walked. More writing awaited them in the control room. Some were in English.  
  
**"Valar Morghulis, valar dohaeris."**  
  
**"Worship the Void."**  
  
**"The arrogant will know death."**

They made her scared. The most chilling thing they found though was not the hundreds of corpses and body parts scattered around the room, staining the controls and computers. It was the large Exif symbol that was painted on the screens on the wall in blood. "Oh my god," she whispered.  
  
"What the hell?" Leland murmured. Yuko glanced at Ceries who was reading a large paragraph of Leich on the left wall. Grief and pain were visible as she blinked back tears.  
  
"Ceries...?"  
  
"It's not for you," another Exif said to Yuko and Leland. "But we need to leave. Now. This place screams of death wherever we go."  
  
"Hold on," one of the technicians piqued, catching their attention. "I've got a video." He pulled up the screen that showed a fuzzy video of anthropomorphic velociraptor-like creatures invadiing the main lobby and slaughtering the other aliens on board with highly advanced melee weapons. Their long claws were sharp enough to cut through steel and effortlessly slash bodies open. The video then changed to a room where an alien who looked like the captain of the Mereen was confronting a tall humanoid wearing a mask. The humanoid paced around him as he spoke. He paused behind him and unsheathed his sword that was on his person. The captain snarled something defiantly before being decapitated. That was where the video abruptly ended.  
  
"Was that the Exif you were talking about?" Leland asked. Ceries nodded. "And the raptors...have you seen them before?"  
  
"Vyxtra," she whispered. "Awful things." Yuko felt a knot in her stomach as the door slammed shut. They all turned, weapons ready to shoot anything that decided to attack. Yuko blinked. Was she imagining it or was that the same guy from the video? He was taller than Metphies, lean, and had long, crimson hair that reached his thighs. A long sword rested at his side and a black mask with red markings covered his face. "Ja'qen?" Ceries asked in shock. "Y-you're dead."  
  
"Drop your weapon and put your hands in the air." Ja'qen studied them for a moment before slowly circling them just like in the security video.  
  
"Don't bother with your inefficacious threats," he murmured. His voice was smooth and had a slight accent. "You're going to die soon."  
  
"What makes you think that? You're outnumbered."  
  
"Yes, and a single cobra can kill a hundred men." He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "But I'm not here to kill you. I'm here for someone who," he paused to sniff the air a little, "doesn't appear to be with you."  
  
"What do you want from us?" Yuko asked.  
  
"Your complete and total surrender is all I ask of you and we won't have any difficulties."  
  
"You won't get any of that. Now do as I say and put your hands--" Leland didn't get to finish his sentence as Ja'qen unsheathed his sword that glowed eerily and swung it with one arm. A surge of energy sent some crashing into the wall behind them will other were forcefully fell to the floor. Yuko grunted as she tried to get up but her back hurt like hell and her legs felt like jelly.  
  
"Dragonglass can do a lot more damage than that. I suggest you do as I say before someone gets killed." _How the hell did he do that with his sword?_ Was it magic or something? This was something she'd never seen before. Ja'qen sheathed his sword and stepped closer to them when he recieved no response. "I have ship that can easily destroy yours and little time to waste so let me make this clear: I need you to surrender and we can be on our way or else I blow up your only source of transportation and force you to watch everyone you care about on the Aratrum die." He wasn't bluffing. Yuko could hear it in the way his voice shifted to a threatening tone and the way his grip tightened on the hilt of Dragonglass. "I need an answer. Now."  
  
"...fine," Leland said after a moment. "You win. We'll take you to see whoever--"  
  
"That won't be necessary." Six Vyxtra came through the door armed with crossbows ready to fire. "Drop your weapons and follow with your hands on your heads." Reluctantly, the humans did as ordered and followed the redhead Exif to the docks where a single ship sat. More Vyxtra stood guarding it. A black and silver one approached them.  
  
"They didn't cause any trouble for you did they?" he asked with a flick of his feathered tail. Yuko was surprised it could speak their language. She wondered how advanced they were.  
  
"Only slightly." The Vyxtra nodded with a smile.  
  
"Good. Drug them and blow up their ship." Yuko opened her mouth to protest but felt a sudden sharp jab at the back of her neck. She staggered as her vision became foggy.  
  
"W-What did you...?" she slurred, trying to gain her balance only to trip and fall. That was the last thing she remembered before blacking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't looking too good for our protagonists. Captured by highly advanced raptors and a rogue Exif, whatever are they going to do? For those of you who are confused, Ja'qen is Shakurin from the prologue. 
> 
> UP NEXT:  
> Chapter 3: Unwanted Visitors  
> The Aratrum gets attacked and their captors tells them something about the Exif that may or may not be true.


	5. Unwanted Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aratrum gets attacked and our prisoners are now being held captive against their own will. Shakurin explains his motives to the UE and causes a rift to form in the three captive races' alliance after giving them a hard pill to swallow regarding the Exifs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POVs aren't in a specific order by the way.

"So what was wrong with the Vopal Orb?" Haruo asked as he ran his index finger along the smooth surface of a knife he'd found in one of Metphies' drawers full of random things from who knows where and looked up at him. "Didn't you say it had some sort of power?"

"It sensed danger nearby," Metphies responded.  
  
"Danger? On the ship?" He shook his head as he caressed the gematron in his hands. His gaze was locked intently on it as if he were watching something important in the gem.  
  
"No. It's from something else. Something...familiar." He put the object down and changed the subject. "Did you have trouble finding your way here?"  
  
"A little. Someone, I think he was called the Waif, helped me find you."  
  
"Did he frighten you?"  
  
"He's gives me this weird vibe that makes me uncomfortable. He said something about shadows knowing everything and white ravens carrying songs of death. I don't know what that means."  
  
"White eyed Exifs are extremely rare and sometimes die in their infancy. They're often associated with witchcraft and spirits so we keep our distance from them."  
  
"Then why did you guys let the Waif on board if you don't trust him?"  
  
"We don't like leaving others behind. Please put the knife back in the drawer. I don't want you cutting yourself."  
  
"I know how to use a knife," Haruo responded.  
  
"Please." He put the blade back in its sheath and sat next to him. "Thank you." The scented candles was beginning to make him feel homesick. Though his memories were a little fuzzy, he remembered leaning against his mother's side as she played soft music on the piano. Metphies wrapped his arm around his waist. "Are you having troubling thoughts, dear?"  
  
"Everywhere we go, no matter how hard we look, we can never find a planet to live on. It's like the universe wants us to suffer."  
  
"Suffering is a good thing." He glanced up at him, confused. "That's how we grow and get stronger. Otherwise, we'd be spoiled and we'd never appreciate the things in life. Life would have no meaning to us."  
  
"What good can come out of this? Everyone keeps dying and committing suicide. There's nothing here for us, Metphies. Our best shot is the go back to Earth and see if we can kill Godzilla."  
  
"And if that doesn't work?"  
  
"We find another way to kill it and reclaim Earth. That bastard doesn't deserve to live there. We do."  
  
"Your tenacity will be the death of you someday." Haruo frowned at the comment. Metphies nuzzled him affectionately.

"Metphies?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You said the Vopal Orb sensed danger nearby and that it was familiar. Is the dangerous thing a monster?"  
  
"No. There is...something I must tell you about us Exif." He lowered his voice as he continued, saying, "Before our home planet was destroyed, we were at war with another species named Vyxtra. They're highly intelligent and one of the top predators in our galaxy. When Exifcalus was destroyed, my people and I fled to find some other planet to inhabit. However..."  
  
"The Vyxtra followed you," Haruo guessed.  
  
"Yes. After helping you escape Earth, they sent us a personal warning declaring that no matter how far we run, we were never safe. They didn't give any indication that they were nearby so we assumed that we were safe."  
  
"But now they're back and want to kill us. We have to warn the committee."  
  
"The outcome won't be any different if we do. The Vyxtra know how we think and act. They've been tracking us, all of us, for twenty thousand years. We don't stand a chance against them even with our advanced technology. Our number is small compared to theirs." Metphies' gaze darkened as he said so quietly that Haruo had to lean in closer to hear, "Besides, there's most definitely spies on the Aratrum who could be listening in on our conversation."

"Spies?"  
  
"Rogue Exif. There's some who work in the control room which gives them access to every exit and entrance. They won't hesitate to expose one's secrets so we have to be careful."  
  
"So what do we do? We can't let them take over the ship." The gematron started making a strange sound that resembled cackles as it glowed eerily. "What is it?"  
  
"The spies..." He didn't finish his sentence as he immediately started digging through his closet for something whilst muttering to himself in his own language. "Here," he said, sliding a rifle towards Haruo's feet. "Get to the control room and stop them from blocking all the exits."  
  
"What about--"  
  
"I can take care of myself. Now go." Haruo had to trust that the Exif priest was right. Grabbing the rifle and knife from the drawer, he bolted out of the room and headed straight for his destination. Turning a corner, he ran into Adam Bindewald.  
  
"Shit! Watch where you're going with that thing," the blonde exclaimed.  
  
"Sorry, I can't talk right now," Haruo muttered quickly trying to get past him.  
  
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" He didn't answer as he surged past him and startled people. He slammed the door to the control room open and cocked his rifle, ready to blow a traitor's head off.  
  
"Sakaki, what the hell do you think you're doing with that rifle?" Mori asked angrily. Ignoring the question, Haruo glared at the people at the computers.  
  
"Listen, we're surrounded by hostile aliens and some of you here are spies." He marched up to a suspicious looking Exif and pointed the rifle at him. "You're one of them aren't you? You've been helping the Vyxtra by leaking information to them haven't you?"  
  
"Why would I do such a thing?" the Exif asked innocently. "I would never do anything to harm you."  
  
"Don't give me that bullshit you--"  
  
"Captain Sakaki, put the rifle down," a Bilusaludo ordered.  
  
"What part of we're surrounded and there's spies here do you not understand? We're going to die if you don't listen to me." He turned and glared at him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the Exif quickly type something into the computer. Before he could stop him, he quickly hit the enter key and all of the power shut off. He didn't hesitate to shoot the son of a bitch. Mori began to yell something at him as the Aratrum suddenly rocked, throwing everyone off balance. Haruo tried to find his way through the pitch black darkness but kept stumbling over people. He really hoped Metphies was alright.  
  
The sound of reptilian cries and yelling from the direction of the door alarmed him. Claws scraping against the floor and walls triggered his sense of danger. All he could see were colored feathers that glowed dimly in the dark but even that wasn't enough to allow him to fully see where he was going. For the first time since he saw Godzilla kill his parents, he felt terrified and helpless. A thick feathered tail knocked him off his feet. Talons dug into his chest, pinning him to the ground, and a sharp blade rested at his throat. Amber eyes stared down at him. A sharp shrill caused it to look up briefly before pulling the blade from his throat. Haruo caught sight of a glowing red sword and knew from the light that his executioner was an Exif since they had that graceful body all of them had. He tensed, waiting for the sword to drive into his chest or head, but the Exif simply knelt beside him and held up a small metal object. They turned his head a little and pressed the object onto the side of his neck. He groaned in pain as the metal burned his skin. It stayed there for a short while until the Exif said something in an alien language to the Vyxtra who lifted its foot from Haruo's chest and walked away ordering nearby Vyxtra. "Who are you?" Haruo asked.  
  
"Shakurin. I've heard plenty about you, Sakaki."  
  
"Why are you doing this?"  
  
"It's nothing personal," Shakurin said calmly as he sheathed his sword, lifted him up, and half walked, half dragged him away to someplace. "Well, maybe it is. Most of my cause involves Metphies' sins, something he most definitely hasn't told you about."  
  
"What kind of sins?"  
  
"You'll find out later." Haruo attempted to get free from his grasp but was forcefully yanked and warned not to do that again or he'd regret it. That made him feel helpless as he was being led to his doom while everyone else was probably being killed off like bugs by the sounds of it. He grimaced at the sound of flesh being slashed open and tried to keep up with Shakurin's quick, purposeful strides. As they turned a corner, he saw dim light seeping through the bottom cracks of a door. The rogue Exif opened it and sat him in a chair next to Brindewald and Martin Lazzari. The room was about the size of the meeting room and twelve chairs were circled around a table. A good portion of the Committee were strapped to their seats. Shakurin cuffed Haruo's wrists to the arms of the chair so he wouldn't escape.  
  
"Is that an Exif?" Adam asked. Haruo nodded grimly. "Why--"  
  
"Shut up," a blue and green Vyxtra snapped. She looked like a hyper evolved velociraptor and had long feathers around her neck and head that resembled a mane. Light glinted off her claws and thin spikes on her back as she turned her back on them and pulled up a holographic screen with a map of the galaxy they were in. "Is everyone here?" Shakurin skimmed the room before nodding.  
  
"Metphies and--"  
  
"Reagarys ordered him to be placed in the mothership. The cardinal has been...stabilized."  
  
"I see. In that case, we'll just begin." He walked to the front of the room and stood in front of the table. "You've all been wandering the universe for so long now and yet you haven't found a single hospitable planet to inhabit. Surely there was at least one that had some signs of life."  
  
"What do you want from us?" Mori asked. "Why are you siding with these intruders?"  
  
"Vyxtra are excellent at tracking people down while remaining undetected. At first I was going to destroy this pathetic excuse of a ship but quickly realized that it would do better as a place to keep prisoners."  
  
"I thought Exif were supposed to worship their god and help others instead of keeping them prisoners like they're criminals," Galu-Gu stated with a frown.

  
"Is that what they made you believe? That they were good people who helped other civilizations find their way to a new home?" Haruo stared at him in confusion, uncertain of where the rogue was getting at. "If so, then they've been feeding you lies."  
  
"They'd never lie to us!" he defended. "They said that they'd help us and that's what they're doing."  
  
"Yet even with their highly advanced technology, you haven't yet found a hospitablel planet. Do you know why? It's 'cause they want to see you all die at the hands of their...demon."  
  
"Liar! You're just telling us that because you can use us as your pawns to kill your own kind."  
  
"While I do wish for them to pay for their sins, I have no use for you Earthlings and Bilusaludos. However," Shakurin stood beside him, "your rage is bright and strong like a wildfire. I see potential in you. The Waif thinks so too." _The Waif?_ He was a part of the rogues' sect too? _Why would he...?_  
  
"You know the Exif weren't always the benevolent and mellow people you think they are," the Vyxtra commented. "No, they were feared once by all the creatures in their galaxy. Why do you think they don't like to talk about their past?" Haruo clenched his fists, unable to accept what was being told as truth.  
  
"What do you mean feared?" Galu-Gu asked in confusion.  
  
"They were conquerors. They went off with their powerful armies and flying beasts and made sure that everyone knew who they were by burning down entire villages and slaughtering many. Us Vyxtra resisted submitting to them which caused centuries of war between us. When the Exif lost their planet, they fled from their solar system. We would've let them go easily if they hadn't summoned that... _thing_ to devour us." She put a lot of emphasis on the word "thing."  
  
"You're just making this up. They'd never do something that horrible," Haruo snarled.  
  
"Believe what you will. One of these days, you'll find that they're what we say they are. Besides, we have more important things to do than bicker with insignificant pests." _Pests?!_ How dare that bitch--  
  
"Haruo Sakaki will be under my supervision until we recieve word from the Valashta regarding his fate," Shakurin said to his partner in crime whose pupils narrowed slightly.  
  
"Reagarys requires you to be aboard the mothership. Prisoner Zero is first priority. I'll have someone take care of him." Shakurin said something in a foreign language. The Vyxtra chuffed before saying, "Zero is yours. That is Reagarys' orders." She unlocked Haruo's cuffs from the chair and led him out of the room, holding a firm grip on his shoulder. "Do anything reckless and I won't hesitate to claw your eyes out," she warned.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked.

"It's none of your business, pest." She didn't try to hide the annoyance in her voice. Haruo kept silent as she led him to a prison cell. Roughly, she shoved him in and closed the door. He cursed as someone helped him up and sat beside him. He was startled to see white eyes staring down at him in concern.

"Waif?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: it took me months to come up with a name for the Vopal Orb so I just titled it "the gemstone" 'cause I'm so creative. Eventually, I settled for Vopal Orb because Alice in Wonderland is cool as heck.


	6. Antebellum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shakurin and Metphies have a nice little talk.

Metphies woke up on the cold white floor of a prison cell. White floor, white walls, white door, white ceiling. A white collar with the number zero hung around his neck. He sat up and pressed his back against the wall, trying to remember what had happened, but his memory was fuzzy. Had they drugged him? They probably had since he remembered being shot with a tranquilizer. _I hate birds._ Letting out a sigh, he pushed his blonde locks away from his eyes. _You're alive. That's good. That means they won't kill you...yet._ He wondered if Haruo was on the ship with him. Was he even alive? Or had the Vyxtra killed everyone else on the Aratrum? No, they wouldn't kill them all at once. They'd break them first. Shatter what little hope they had left and grind them to dust. The door to his cell opened and a familiar Exif walked in. He crouched a few feet away from him. "So, we meet again," he murmured.  
  
"Shakurin," Metphies greeted. "It's a while, hasn't it?"  
  
"Three-hundred years to be exact. I'm impressed and disgusted at what you've done."  
  
"What have I done?"  
  
"You feed your victims lies until they become fat enough to be killed at the slaughterhouse and sold at the market. It's what you did to your neighboring solar systems after Exifcalus was destroyed, it's what you're doing now to those fleeting lives on the Aratrum."  
  
"I'm not leading them to their doom. I'm granting them mercy."  
  
"If I was as ignorant and oblivious as your so-called allies, I would've assumed you were telling the truth." Shakurin leaned forward a little. "I don't know why you're going through so much trouble to do it. All it takes is a single word and your task could be finished. But you, you enjoy watching people suffer don't you, you twisted _pzyech_?" Metphies was silent. "You won't win. The Death Song of Three Storms won't win either. Nothing you do will ever be successful. I'll make sure of it." The redhead stood up and lead him out the door.  
  
"Where are taking me?"  
  
"A place designed especially for you." The cell Metphies had been placed in was located in a narrow hall with only one entrance door. There were no other cells, just blank white walls. The halls past the entrance door were the same color as well. He began to wonder why they were all white before remembering the instruments of torture used on Earth before the evacuation. He wasn't going to get out of here in one piece that was for sure. As they walked down a corridor with cells on each side, the prisoners banged on the door, screaming for someone to free them from their prisons. Some clawed at the metal and made animalistic noises. Metphies quickened his pace a little to an unknown destination. Shakurin nudged him to the left where a door with a small, light grey circle on it awaited them. He turned the knob and guided him up the two flights of stairs to a grey room that was divided by a thick glass wall he couldn't see through. A white chair sat in the center. "Sit," the rogue ordered, shoving him towards it. Metphies had no choice but to comply.  
  
"What are you going to do to me?" he asked.  
  
"We're going to break you." Shakurin hooked up wires from a computer to the collar before placing a thick metal hoop. He moved to the computer and typed something in. Metphies was about to ask a question but was cut off as a jolt of electricity from the collar shocked him. He gasped in pain. A burning sensation all over his body followed shortly after. His vision blurred briefly before being pulled into the deepest parts of his mind by an invisible hook. Burning cities, thorned flowers, falling snow, golden eyes; it all flashed before him in a blur.  
  
He soon found himself in a dark alleyway with his back pressed against the stone wall as rain poured steadily. This wasn't Exifcalus, that he was certain of. It was another planet that was probably dead by now. Soft crying from a dark corner alerted him of company. Quietly, he stepped closer to the source. A young woman, equivalent to a fifteen-year-old Earthling, laid on the floor holding a sleeping infant wrapped tightly in a shawl, trying to stifle her crying. He recognized her immediately. He didn't want to, but he did. Metphies sat next to her and attempted to run his fingers through her long, wet hair to comfort her, but he was intangible(or perhaps she was, he wasn't entirely sure). The woman's child shifted and began to cry, making the mother more distraught. She sat up, stared at the infant remorsefully through tear-filled eyes, and slowly pulled out a dagger she'd kept hidden in her robe. Metphies stiffened. He knew what she was going to do.

_Your fault, your fault, your fault._

The mother hesitated for a moment, considering the consequence of her actions as the blade hovered over the infant's chest. She let out a defeated huff mixed with tears as she drove the weapon into her offspring. Blood seeped through the wound as she pulled it out.  
  
He could feel the thick liquid soaking his fingers as he watched the mother grieve for her child. He didn't look down to see the blood staining his robe. His heart felt heavy in his chest as he stared at her, hunched over and sobbing.

 _It's okay, you're free now._  
_Your burden's lifted._  
_You're no longer a caged bird._

He pulled his legs closer to his chest and rested his head on his knees. His throat tightened, making it hard to breathe as tears welled up in his eyes. The electric collar shocked him again and he was back in the white room. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily. "You regret that don't you?" Shakurin asked. "You killed your own child--"  
  
"It was...forbidden," Metphies whispered.  
  
"Just like all your other children whom you slaughtered. Just like the Waif whom you despise because he reminds you too much of your past self? Why did you do it? Was it because they would've had far greater power than you, prince with a thousand enemies?" He opened his eyes, focusing on the recently waxed floor. "Watching that pained you, didn't it? It hurts you even more knowing that you can't get rid of the Waif this time. It's excruciating like this, for example." The rogue pressed a button on a remote controller, causing the shock collar to electrocute the priest once more. "I could kill you. I really could if I wanted to, but I'm not."  
  
"...why?"  
  
"Because the ritual requires royal Exif blood to be completed."  
  
"What ritual?"  
  
"The ritual to awaken Z'ictah," Shakurin said matter-of-factly. Metphies shook his head.  
  
"No. No, no, you can't. It'll kill you--"  
  
"Since when did you care about me?!" Shakurin snarled, making him flinch. "I was nothing but your little pawn in your twisted game just like every other fool on that pathetic ship!" He took a moment to step back in collect himself. "When the Valashta resurrected me, I realized that everything 'good' about you and Endurph are nothing but beautiful lies. Your thrones are made from the bones of your victims and their blood is the wine you drink. You're cobras in the grass, waiting for an unsuspecting traveler to come your way so you can kill them with your poison. But no worries, dear prince. Z'ictah will take excellent care of you."  
  
"Did the Valashta send you to do this to me?"  
  
"He doesn't control me anymore. I'm independent now, free from his terrible rule."  
  
"You can never be free from him. He'll send his hounds to kill you and your _pnömoria_."  
  
"His hounds are nothing compared to Z'ictah. The universe is a cruel, painful thing and every living creature will be punished for their sins. That is why I must break you and leave only a shell of what you once were." Metphies lifted his head to look at his captor. He searched his mind, trying to find some information on what he planned to do to him. He'd promised himself that he wasn't going to let another person defile him again. There's was nothing to be found, which made him more anxious. The redhead released him from the chair and led him back to his cell. "If you talk to anyone who visits you, you will be electrocuted," he threatened as he shoved him inside.  
  
"What did you do to Haruo Sakaki?"  
  
"What is he to you? Is he a close friend or just another pawn in your game of chess?" He didn't give him time to respond as he shut the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UP NEXT:  
> Chapter 5: The Night Is Dark
> 
> Haruo is properly introduced to the Waif and gets some of his questions answered although the answers might not exactly be correct.


	7. The Night Is Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haruo learns about the Exif's religion and their "downfall."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The sixth chapter of Requiem has "finally" been published. I had a lot of fun writing this and can't wait to write more Exif lore in future chapters.

The Waif stepped back and allowed Haruo Sakaki to move away from him. The Earthling's mind was full of doubts that flew around like crows making a nest in his brain. "I think I might be able to answer some of your questions regarding my race," the Waif said. Haruo looked at him with narrow eyes.

"What do you know? You're insane."

"I'm not insane, I just perceive things differently than most people do. Would you like me to help you?"

"I doubt you could do anything considering that we're prisoners aboard our own ship," The Earthling scoffed. "Seems like your god decided to turn his back on us again." The Waif shook his head.

"I don't worship the Exif's god," he explained.

"You're an atheist then?"

"No. I'm aware that there is an omnipotent being in some other dimension, but it's not what they serve."

"So they're evil cultists, is that what you're saying?" He nodding slightly.

"They're...sinister people." Haruo glared at him.

"You're crazy, you don't know what you're talking about. If they were evil, they wouldn't be helping us, would they? They'd let us die at the hands of Godzilla." The Waif pulled his legs close to his chest as the crows landed softly on his shoulders and head, scattering feathers on the floor.

"If you want to hear what I have to say..."

"Let me guess: the Exif are planet conquerors via evangelism and summoned a kaiju to destroy the Vyxtra's planet."

"Not quite. They were vicious creatures before they inevitably came into contact with Aizadrra." Sensing the Earthling's unfamiliarity with the name, he explained, "It's a being made of energy who devours planets."

"And they supposedly worship this thing?"

"Yes. The Pope was not kind to me when I refused to acknowledge it as god."

"You're a crazy heretic then," Haruo concluded. His gaze softened slightly. "What did they do to you?" The Waif didn't meet his gaze. That was a question he'd rather not answer and a topic he never liked to discuss. The memories were always fresh in his mind so he couldn't forget them. Sometimes, he was able to make others witness such events. But the pain and torture he was forced to endure should never be placed upon anyone else other than himself. Haruo Sakaki had already lost his home and parents; he was already trapped in Metphies' invisible web. He didn't need to see anymore suffering. However, the universe was not benevolent and soon he'd have to be persecuted as the rest of what remained of humanity.

"I don't want to talk about it," he mumbled. "It would be a burden for the both of us." Haruo laid on the bed across the room with his back turned towards him. He was worried, angry, confused, and most of all scared for his and everyone's saftey on the ship. The Waif pitied him.

"Get some sleep, Sakaki. Tomorrow will not be kind to you." He heard the younger being grunt as he shifted into a more comfortable sleeping position before settling down.

_"The night is dark and full of terror,"_ a crow murmured. _"The ravens will sing the songs of the dead."_

"Yes," he agreed. "The feeble bird must be killed if it wishes to become a pheonix."

_"The stars will fall,"_ another crow said.

_"Father's wrath will be poured upon the serpents with flowering faces."_

"In due time, dear siblings," the Waif assured. "The children of sin must first be killed if we are to proceed." He closed his eyes. "All things shall be according to the will of God."

_"But the Earthling does not know of the Exif's true face. How can he possibly be the--"_

"He and the others have been fed lies. They must be purged."

_"They will be gifts to Death."_

_"When the reaping soon begins..."_

"...the good wheat will be stored in the barn and the tares will be burned. What is, is what shall be." The Waif opened his eyes a little and watched Haruo toss and turn in his sleep. _How pitiful,_ he thought to himself. _Even in sleep he's tormented._

"Is something wrong?" he asked in concern.

"No," Haruo responded, turning towards him.

"Do you fear me?"

"I don't trust you."

"You trusted me when I told you where to find Metphies' quarters. What made you change your mind?"

"Shakurin mentioned you so I assumed that you were with him." The Waif nodded slowly. Of course he'd assume such a thing. "Are you involved in his plans?"

"If I were, I wouldn't be here now would I?"

"No, you wouldn't. Still, I don't trust you."

"I wouldn't trust anyone on this ship if I were you. Sinister things happen where no one would think to look. You shouldn't lend your heart to Metphies. He'll taint it with sweet words that'll poison you. I should know."

"He isn't bad. He cares about me more than you think and he'd never do anything wrong so stop saying things like that." Sensing Haruo's anger, the Waif fell silent. The crows landed on the floor and some nestled in his lap. As he watched two of them flutter around the room, he began reading Haruo's thoughts. The rashful human was deeply concerned for their safety and feared what had happened to the scouting party. Were they dead? Possibly. Was Metphies alright? Perhaps.

The Waif had mixed feelings towards the priest. On one hand, he was a good friend towards Haruo and a reliable person to seek advice so long as it didn't revolve around religion and entropy. However, he had clothed himself in the beautifully horrific gowns nihilism which, despite the rogue Exif's pleas and reasonings, he refused to discard no matter the cost. That was a planet-sized problem the Waif feared could never be solved. If Metphies shared his gowns with Haruo and the other Earthlings who were easily swayed, the planet would become a solar system of nihilistic cultists who rejoiced euphorically at the sight of Death.

The Waif shuddered at the thought. Despite his attempts to nudge Metphies onto the path given to them by their Father, the priest strayed further from said path and deeper into the twisting, dark forest where the wolf awaited to devour his supper. He had hoped that little Haruo would be the spark to lead him back on the path he originally began on. He was terribly wrong. So wrong, in fact, that he was beginning to doubt that there would be no salvation for the priest when the day of harvest came. It was something he didn't like to think about but couldn't be ignored. Haruo's voice startled him from his thoughts ask he asked, "What did you mean when you said that thing about shadows and ravens? I don't get it."

"'The shadows know all and the white ravens carry songs of death on their beaks.' It's a prophecy given to me by the Valashta through Gematron Calculation. I felt like I needed to tell it to you."

"What does it mean?"

"You'll have to find that out on your own, Sakaki. I can't tell you everything that's going to happen although I wish I could." The Waif took his necklace off and stared at the pendant for a moment. "Long ago when a person died, there was a ritual in my culture, where we would burn the carcass and merge the ashes with dirt to symbolize that the old, sinful body has been killed and discarded. Since the body is no more, that allows the purified soul to climb the Ladder of Stars to reach Corea and be one with our Father." He lifted his head. "Symbolically, the burning of a carcass would be the process of emotional and mental change in a person, be it good or evil. The climb is the process of ascension. Only when we fully ascend do we become one with God. That is when we recieve our reward: immortality. When you burn your sinful nature and ascend, you will be mankind's motive to do the same. It's humanity's love of sin that keeps it from burning the body. Their stubbornness will be their downfall, but you will be their hope."

"Immortality, huh? Did-- or, are your people in the ascension stage as you call it? Is that why you age slowly?"

"No. My people fell from the Ladder when they sought immortality through their own means, refusing to go through the long, painful, process we all should. Instead of immortality, they discovered what they could about the universe and, seeing there was no alternative way to reach the end prize, began worshipping Death who had tricked them into believing that there was no such thing as eternity. They sacrificed their planet to the Devourer and forced the remaining faithful ones to never speak 'heretical' words that went against their doctrine." Haruo furrowed his brows in confusion.

"If that's true, how come the rogues let the Vyxtra take over the ship and hold us captive?"

"I'm not sure," the Waif admitted. "Whenever I try to read their thoughts, they block me out." He sighed. "The clergy has become divided and corrupt, it's hard to tell who's your ally and who's the enemy." Of course, Haruo didn't fully trust him and that was fine. In due time, he'd understand. Then he would be able to transcend. The Waif just hoped that he would be able to carry on without his guidance. He stood up and sat next to Haruo who glanced at him with a frown. "You know I can't sleep on the floor." The latter was silent and scooted over so he could lay beside him. "Thank you." The Waif let his hair down before laying down and pressing the necklace in Haruo's hand. "I've been waiting for so long to give this to you," he said softly. "Keep it close and don't lose it."

"What's this?"

"Something dear that was given to me by my mentor. Now I pass it on to you." Haruo looked at it for a moment in curiosity. "Promise me, you'll keep it safe."

"I promise." The Waif smiled a little. _When I'm done, everything will be ready for the final storm. Then the harvest will begin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What the Waif said about ascension isn't something physical that they need to achieve. It's more spiritual and internal. In the next chapter, we see what happened to Yuko and the others.


	8. The Lab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuko meets a bitter Exif named Xana who takes her to a laboratory and asks her a strange question.

Yuko was confused. She didn't understand it all. The Vyxtra, the Exif with the magic sword, and more importantly, the symbol made of blood in the Mereen's control room. Why on earth would-- what's his name again-- Ja'qen put that on the screens? Why would he side with such brutal creatures? She couldn't wrap her head around it. While she was unconscious, she'd been put in a prison cell with a small, circular window to the north of her bed. She shivered from the cold and wrapped herself in her blanket. Nothing seemed to make any sense anymore. First the Mereen and now this. Her brows furrowed as she studied the plain, silver walls.  
  
The Exif had been acting a little weird before they got into this mess. Of course they were always weird, but this was different. They seemed a little on edge, as if they expected something bad to happen. She'd heard some of them mutter amongst themselves in their native language, something that was extremely rare aboard the Aratrum since it was more efficient for everyone to speak the same language. So why had they been so tense? Did they know that this was going to happen? If so, why didn't they tell anyone?  
  
The door to her cell opened and an Exif stepped in carry a plate with food in it. He was smaller than her and had really long hair that was as white as snow. He had really pale skin and long, nimble fingers that looked like talons at the ends. His hair covered most of the right side of his face but his left eye was pale yellow. He handed it to her and waited silently. Yuko looked down at her dinner. There was a strange grey colored pudding-like substance on one corner, assorted vegetables in another, and a small piece of unleavened bread. There was no drink or silverware that came with it. "How am I supposed to eat this without a fork?" she asked, glancing at her visitor. The Exif narrowed his eyes at her poisonously.  
  
"Figure it out." She sighed and used the bread to eat the "pudding" which tasted plain, just like the bread itself. She could feel the Exif's death glare as she picked at her food and pushed a few vegetables around her plate. After a moment, she handed it back to him but he didn't take it. "Eat all of it," he ordered.  
  
"I don't like aspar--"  
  
"Eat it or I'll shove it down your fucking throat." Yuko flinched and begrudgingly ate the four pieces of asparagus on her plate.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" she asked. "You're an Exif, not some rogue."  
  
"What lies have they been telling you on that toxic ship? You really think that just because I'm biologically one of them means that I have to sell my soul to a planet eating beast and be as twisted as they are?" The Exif yanked the plate from her hands as he said, "Godzilla isn't the one you should be concerned about. It's your so-called allies who seek your demise."  
  
"So why are you doing this?"  
  
"Why shouldn't I?"  
  
"Because you're hurting innocent people and it's wrong." His grip on the plate tightened as she said, "What you're doing isn't human."  
  
"Human?" He stepped closer to her as he placed the plate on the bed. "Do you know what that word means? Do you know what it is?" He grabbed her blanket and leaned forward. Yuko wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question or not so she stayed silent, wishing he would back off. "I know what happened to your pitiful planet. Do you know what happened to mine? Would you like to see a beast more fearsome than Godzilla descend from the heavens and obliterate everything that's ever existed?" His words became more aggressive as his lips twitched, revealing a pair of sharp dog-like fangs which Yuko hadn't noticed until now. A low, rumbling sound came from his throat as he glared at her. Finally, he let go of her and took the plate. She groaned as she felt a little queasy. She leaned over and vomited on the floor, startling the Exif who immediately stepped out of her way. He scowled at her as if she'd done it on purpose. "Damn Earthlings," he muttered as he left. He returned shortly with a bucket and two towels. He placed the soaked one over the mess and shoved the bucket towards her chest. After cleaning, he angrily handed the dried towel to her. Disgustedly, he picked up the dirty towel and left. Yuko placed the bucket on the floor, wiped her mouth with the towel, and laid in bed. She felt horrible. She wanted to go back to the Aratrum. Tightening the blanket around her, she closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep but the bright lights and AC were preventing her from doing so. Even with the blanket over her head, the light still bothered her. She sat up and vomited again into the bucket. As she did so, she felt like she was being watched despite the fact that she was alone. It's probably nothing, she thought to herself. It's just your imagination. It's all in your head. Pushing her hair back, she adjusted her headband and laid back on the pillow with a soft groan and closed her eyes.  
  
When the door opened again and the Exif from earlier returned, she blinked open her eyes and yawned. Her visitor placed a bowl of oatmeal on her nightstand and put the bucket outside. "I didn't get your name earlier," she said.  
  
"Why do you want to know such useless information?" he asked bitterly.  
  
"It's important to identify a person with their name."  
  
For a moment, she doubted he would tell her his name until he said, "My name's Xana. Sit up and eat your breakfast." She did as ordered. She noticed his impatience as he quietly drummed his fingers on the nightstand and pulled back a bit of his right sleeve to check a silver object wrapped around his wrist. Her eyes widened in fascination at the strange technology as a thin needle moved around in the flat sphere that was coated with glass. Xana looked up at her with his perpetual frown. "You look like you've never seen a watch before."  
  
"That's a watch? I've never seen one like that before. It's so...old."  
  
"Hurry up and finish."  
  
"You've got someplace to go?" Xana did not respond. Yuko ate a little faster and handed him the bowl when she finished.  
  
"Follow me and don't be slow."  
  
"Where are we going?" She recieved no response as he led her outside. The hallways were wide and had other prison cells that were mostly quiet. After going down an elevator and down another hall, Xana opened a door on their left and let her go first.  
  
The room he'd brought her to was large enough to fit about seven hundred people. Cages full of prisoners were lined up along the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Medical tables were placed in the center of the room with assorted items in trays on them. A few Vyxtra were scattered about checking stats and filling syringes with drugs. Yuko took a step back but was pushed forward. "What is this place?" she whispered.  
  
"This is where you'll be staying from now on." Xana pulled her to a cage and shoved her inside. He stared at her for a moment in silence before closing the door and turning to leave.  
  
"Xana," a Vyxtra called, stopping him. "Come back here. I need to check your health."  
  
"I'm fine," he responded without looking back.  
  
"Come. Here." He growled before briskly walking up to, who Yuko assumed was, the medic. The medic sniffed him and curled his lips. "Take your medications and get some rest. Don't let me tell you that again," he ordered. "For now, take care of these." He swished his tail to motion to the other prisoners in the cages. Reluctantly, Xana did as ordered and started refilling the food and water bowels in the cages. The medic walked up to Yuko and crouched in front of her. "My, you're a strong-looking one aren't you?" He opened the door, grabbed her chin to pull her closer, and used a claw to move her lips so he could look at her teeth. He made a quiet animalistic noise of approval and let go of her chin before closing the door. "Hmm, we'll see how far this one gets," he murmured before turning to pick up a syringe. After taking a sample of her blood and putting a band-aid on the wound, he placed the tool on one of the trays and chirped to a grey and red Vyxtra who responded with a series of clicking noises. Yuko figured that whatever they were talking about wasn't good news for her.

One of the prisoners beside her, a bipedal creature with smooth black skin, made loud alien noises and paced around its cage like a tiger. Angrily, it lunged forward, ramming its head against the bars in an attempt to break free. It's roar terrified her so she pressed her back against the opposite side of her cage where a humanoid sat. "I take it you don't travel to other worlds much do you?" she asked.  
  
"No. Every planet we come across has been uninhabitable."  
  
"Is that so? From what I've seen, there's plenty of habitable planets around these parts." Wait what? Really? Then...  
  
"That can't be right. The Gematron Calculation--"  
  
"You take orders from that thing? No wonder you haven't found any planets to live on!" Yuko blinked in confusion.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It's most likely been leading you off course and taking you to dead planets. You haven't realized that?"  
  
"No, how do you know all this stuff?"  
  
"I've heard a lot of gossip about the Exif and what they're doing behind the seams. I heard that they're planning to summon their planet eating god to devour the universe or something like that."  
  
"That's not true. They're helping us find a new home. How could they possibly do such a horrible thing?"  
  
"Wow, Earthlings really are stupid. The Exif worship Ghidorah of all things." The humanoid frowned when she recieved no response. "Don't tell me you don't know about it."  
  
"I've never heard of that thing before. Is it a monster?"  
  
"A god for all intents and purposes."  
  
"And he'll eat you if you don't shut up," Xana growled as he opened the humanoid's cage. "Get out, you little shit. It's your turn." A nearby Vyxtra came and escorted her to a separate room.  
  
Yuko asked, "Who's Ghi--"  
  
"Something much worse than Godzilla. Don't say his name unless you want to stare Death in the eyes."  
  
"What exactly is this place? Why am I here?" She didn't recieve a response as he replaced the old bedding. "Is all that true?"  
  
"Do me a favor and shut up." She sat at the back of her cage and watched him replace the blankets in the cage. She didn't understand why he was so bitter. As the Exif coughed into his elbow, he grimaced in pain. He muttered to himself as he slammed the door shut, skipping her and the next few cages. Yuko stared at the other prisoners who were thin, malnourished, and very unfriendly looking. Half of them looked close to dying. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she quickly realized that they all had numbers branded onto their necks. _This must be a laboratory and we're the lab rats,_ she thought fearfully. She didn't want to be a lab rat. She didn't want to die. The bipedal alien, whose number was TS5830, curled up in a corner and stared at her with its multiple, red eyes. She wondered where Haruo was and if he was still alive. She hoped so. She hoped the Vyxtra hadn't killed everyone on the Aratrum and that Xana was wrong about his kind. The sick, bitter Exif paused by her cage and asked, "What's the difference between a man and a monster?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What's the difference between a man and a monster?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"When you have the answer, tell me." He left her wondering why on earth he'd ask such an odd question. Weren't monsters only meant to cause despair and destroy everything in their path? Humans didn't do that. They helped each other and repaired stuff. Monsters weren't as intelligent as they were and show no compassion. The more she thought about, the more confused she became. What was the point of such a useless question that probably wasn't going to help her in this situation? She was trapped, a caged bird with no way to fly.


End file.
